Green Iguana

Breed Description

The classic pet iguana, the Green Iguana is a large, striking lizard that can grow to impressive lengths and live for decades with the right care. Despite the name, adults don’t always stay green — coloring can shift toward olive, blue-grey, or even orange depending on age, mood, and temperature.

Breed History

Green Iguanas are native to Central and South America and some Caribbean islands, where they live in tropical forest canopies near water. They became hugely popular in the US pet trade starting in the 1980s and 90s, when large numbers of hatchlings were sold as inexpensive “starter” pets — often without buyers fully understanding just how large and demanding an adult would become.

Behavioral Characteristics

Green Iguanas can be calm and even tolerate gentle handling when raised and socialized consistently from a young age, but they’re a genuine commitment: they need large, tall enclosures, specific UVB lighting and heat, and a carefully balanced plant-based diet. Adults can also become territorial, especially unneutered males during breeding season.

Fun Facts

• “Green Iguanas have a light-sensing "third eye" on top of their head, called a parietal eye, which helps them detect predators from above.”
• “A healthy adult Green Iguana can grow up to 6 feet long, though more than half of that length is tail.”
• “Despite their tropical origins, Green Iguanas are almost entirely plant-eaters as adults, unlike many other pet lizards.”

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